


You Bake My Heart Flutter

by lucid_dreamer_247



Category: The Great British Bake Off RPF, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - The Great British Bake Off Fusion, Baker Jeon Jungkook, Baker Kim Taehyung | V, Baking Competition, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Self-Indulgent, cake and buttercream and romantic tension, literally just fluff and kindness and a spicy dash of flirting in one neat lil bake-off package, what is sweeter: the cakes or TaeKook? you decide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:54:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27221545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucid_dreamer_247/pseuds/lucid_dreamer_247
Summary: Taehyung and Jungkook are contestants in a baking competition. Jungkook is a competitive baker with simple but perfectly-crafted flavors, while Taehyung is a carefree, artistic baker who loves to experiment with bold ideas.As the show progresses, so does their friendship… and something more. :))
Relationships: Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung | V
Comments: 19
Kudos: 86





	You Bake My Heart Flutter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KooYoongi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KooYoongi/gifts).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY @KooYoongi!! I am thankful for you every single day, you are so beautifully kind and encouraging and sweet and just a joy to know. I hope your next spin around the sun showers you in all of the kindness and love you deserve, and that the universe treats you gently during hard times. Thank you for supporting me and countless others, and for quite truly making me feel like my writing and effort mean something. You give me so much confidence and it honestly makes me want to cry lol. You are irreplaceable, to me and so many others ♡♡♡
> 
> (The original threadfic can be found [here](https://twitter.com/lucdream247/status/1311534034061647883?s=20). I added about 800 words to this ao3 version, so even though it’s the same story, I hope you find some fun new details! ♡)
> 
> [moodboard :)](https://twitter.com/lucdream247/status/1321663128657035266?s=20)

The moment Kim Taehyung strolled into the tent, Jungkook was smitten.

With his golden curls, confident poise, and twinkling eyes above doughy cheeks, Taehyung commanded attention in the most carefree, unassuming way. He had long, graceful fingers that waved to each baker, and his voice was low and smooth, warming Jungkook’s insides like cinnamon and bourbon.

Most of the other bakers were clad in practical garb, plain aprons and sturdy shoes with dark-colored shirts immune to chocolate stains. But on the very first day, Taehyung arrived looking like a living, breathing Picasso painting, his shirt sporting a kaleidoscope of colors and tucked into loose pants in a highly impractical shade of beige. He even had a beret jauntily tipped on his head, dark curls peeking around the edges.

Jungkook uselessly fumbled with a set of spatulas, his heart doing a tiny, shy little somersault as Taehyung approached.

It turned out that his workstation was directly across from Jungkook’s at the back of the tent. Taehyung took his place, setting ingredients on the counter as the camera crew signaled five minutes until shooting would begin.

Taehyung turned to Jungkook and unleashed the dizzying power of his smile, stepping across the aisle with an outstretched hand.

“Hello, I’m Taehyung!” he introduced himself.

Jungkook replied in a daze, managing to stutter out his name as Taehyung’s dazzling smile and caramel eyes turned him to mush. He briefly wondered if this was a form of sabotage; surely, it was far too early in the competition for Taehyung to be so competitive? To come up to Jungkook and unleash the devastating power of his toothy, square-edged smile without warning? Surely, he was breaking some unspoken rule about flustering the other contestants right before the first challenge.

Taehyung’s palm was wonderfully soft. And that was when Jungkook realized he was still holding Taehyung’s hand, and Taehyung’s smile was growing impossibly wider, his apple cheeks turning into pale pink roses, and Jungkook simply couldn’t fathom how he was expected to focus on the competition when a literal angel would be occupying the station next to him.

He awkwardly cleared his throat and withdrew his hand, hiding it behind his back as his ears burned a traitorous red. Taehyung’s eyes twinkled with renewed fervor.

“Two minutes!” the director called.

“Good luck, Jungkook! I’ll be rooting for you,” Taehyung said with a wink. And with a graceful-fingered wave, he skipped back to his station, leaving Jungkook to melt into the floor like an under-whipped meringue.

The competition began with a relatively simple first round: shortcake.

Jungkook got to work, neatly organizing his ingredients and equipment on the counter and setting his detailed, pre-typed recipe next to his mixer. He was sticking with classic flavors he knew would be a hit, just strawberries and sponge and a vanilla whipped cream. A crowd pleaser. (And hopefully, a judge-pleaser).

Taehyung, on the other hand, surprised the judges when he announced his sponge would be lavender-flavored, with a lemon curd and rosemary whipped cream filling. The judges were skeptical, but Taehyung flashed them a winning smile, and Jungkook was impressed with his confidence; those flavors were a gutsy move, especially since Taehyung’s recipe consisted of a few haphazardly-scribbled lines of instructions on the back of a pastry bag. The blatant disorganization gave Jungkook a small heart palpitation, so he tried to keep his eyes on his own hands as he worked, avoiding the increasingly-cluttered happenings at Taehyung’s station.

Each contestant was assigned a camera person, tasked with following the contestants around and occasionally asking questions for tidbits they could include in post-production. Jungkook’s area remained fairly quiet; unless his camera man probed him with a question, Jungkook didn’t speak, instead focusing his energies on the task at hand, determined to created the most perfectly-balanced shortcake possible within the time frame.

Taehyung, on the other hand, chatted with his camera woman non-stop, laughing and joking in that deep, husky voice. Jungkook couldn’t stop his eyes from flicking over to his competitor every few minutes, even if the utter disarray on Taehyung’s benchtop made him internally scream. The glimpses of Taehyung’s focused pout and easy smile were worth it.

“Five minutes remaining!” one of the hosts shouted.

Jungkook was putting the finishing touches on his shortcake, piping whipped cream in perfectly even dollops, carving his final decorative strawberry into the shape of a flower. He finished with one minute to spare.

He stepped back with a satisfied sigh, wiping his hands on his apron. He glanced at Taehyung, then did a double take; his station was an absolute mess, as if a tornado had ravaged the area in an effort to get flour on every possible surface, leaving bowls and whisks and spoons haphazardly strewn about. Taehyung had somehow managed to get flour in his hair and a smear of lemon curd on his cheek. He was softly smiling as he arranged a decorative sprig of lavender atop his cake, which had whipped cream and curd fit to burst from the middle, his sponges dyed a light purple. It was chaotic…. But Jungkook kind of liked it.

The judges made their rounds, critiquing the contestants. When they arrived at Jungkook’s station, they complimented his neat piping skills and commended his balance of flavors. A job well done, Jungkook thought proudly.

Then, the judges moved to Taehyung. They eyed his cake warily, and after tasting, they gave mixed reviews; one judge loved the flavors, bright and floral and unique. The other wrinkled their nose at the rosemary whipped cream, claiming the lemon curd was too tart, the sponge too sweet.

The feedback didn’t seem to faze Taehyung in the slightest. Jungkook marveled; hearing even one criticism of his baking would make him want to shrivel up into a raisin. Still a competitive, highly determined raisin, but a raisin, nonetheless.

When the round finished and the cameras were being re-set for the next challenge, Taehyung bounced over to Jungkook’s station.

“Nice job!” he said genuinely. “Your cake is really pretty. I _love_ strawberries.”

“Do you… want to try it?” Jungkook hesitantly offered.

Taehyung’s eyes lit up with delight, and before Jungkook could even reach for a fork, Taehyung ripped a chunk of cake away with his fingers and shoved it in his mouth.

“ _Mmm!_ ” he exclaimed. He chewed happily, eyes fluttering shut. He licked a trace of whipped cream from his finger. Jungkook’s heart stuttered.

“Ooh, now try mine!” Taehyung insisted, dashing over to his bench and bringing back a slice of purple cake. Jungkook was still skeptical of the flavor pairings, but he would rather die than hurt this beautiful man’s feelings, so he took a large bite as Taehyung watching raptly. He chewed, rolling the flavors over his tongue, and… wow.

“This is _amazing_ ,” Jungkook said. Taehyung clapped his hands giddily as Jungkook deliberately went in for another bite.

“My flavors aren’t for everyone,” Taehyung shrugged, idly brushing at his cheek and further smearing the lemon curd. “But as long as I stay true to who I am and what I like, my bakes will never be a failure.”

Jungkook stared at him, heart squeezing in his chest, mouth full of lavender. “Yeah,” he breathed, a bit stunned at Taehyung’s casual approach to something that Jungkook took with such seriousness. “That’s… that’s a good way of looking at things.”

Taehyung eventually left to clean up his wreck of a station, Jungkook surreptitiously watching as he finished the last few mouthfuls of Taehyung’s cake slice. He winced when Taehyung dropped a spoonful of whipped cream on his pants, leaving a stain. Yet somehow, it only added to Taehyung’s charm.

Round two began, a blind technical challenge where every baker was given the same ingredients and the same vague recipe. They were instructed to make angel food cake, something Jungkook had made countless times.

But the oven in the tent was different from his oven at home, and when he pulled out his cake, his confidence deflated in a jarring whoosh.

The cake’s edges were too brown. He had overbaked it.

“Dammit,” he muttered to himself. He put his head in his hands, chest constricting. It was fine, he told himself. Everything was fine. He had done well on the signature bake, and there was still one more challenge before the first elimination.

But Jungkook could feel himself getting upset. He was a perfectionist, and perfectionists didn’t serve over-baked cakes. He felt his dream of being the first Star Baker slip through his sugar-stained fingers.

“Psst,” he heard.

He glanced up, and Taehyung was looking at him.

“There’s still enough time to bake another batch,” Taehyung whispered across the aisle. “You’ve got some batter left; put it in a smaller tin and serve them a bake you’re proud of.”

Jungkook blinked at him, the tremulous feeling in his chest subsiding a bit. Taehyung was right. He could do that. He still had time!

He had to scramble to finish before the clock ran out, and his version of the cake was noticeably smaller than everyone else’s, but it was baked perfectly. He ended up in the top three of the judge’s rankings. Taehyung ended up in fifth place.

In the short break before the third round, Jungkook approached Taehyung’s station.

“Thanks for that,” he murmured, a little embarrassed, a lot shy. Taehyung looked at him kindly.

“I could see you panicking from all the way over here. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself, alright? This competition is just for fun.”

Jungkook’s brow furrowed. A competition just for _fun_?

No, competitions were tests of strength, of intelligence, creativity, and skill. The fun part was giving 110%. How could Taehyung be so relaxed about it?

Taehyung simply grinned at him, using a finger to prod at Jungkook’s forehead.

“See? Stop frowning, Mr. Serious. We’re too young to get stress lines.”

The contestants had a break for a lunch, and when they returned for the third and final round, Jungkook was buzzing with adrenaline and excitement. Round three was where he truly got to showcase his abilities. The challenge was to make a three-tiered cake, each layer a different flavor, and decorate it with a floral theme.

He had a vision (and a painstakingly-calculated blueprint), and he couldn’t wait to create it.

The round began, and Jungkook got to work, preparing his batters and getting them into the oven before any of the other contestants, quickly moving on to his buttercream. He was planning to hand-sculpt a garden of flowers from homemade fondant and paint them with food coloring, a time-intensive task, so he needed to work quickly and efficiently. His favorite combination.

Taehyung put his cakes in the oven a few minutes later. He took a long sip of water, coming to lean against Jungkook’s station, cool as a cucumber.

“What’re your flavors?”

“Chocolate, cinnamon, and coffee, with a cream cheese frosting,” Jungkook said, wiping his brow as a giant batch of frosting whirled in his mixer.

Taehyung’s beret was gone, his chocolately curls tousled over his forehead, a bit of lemon curd still clinging to his cheek from the first round. Jungkook’s throat suddenly felt dry.

“My theme is: an afternoon in the garden,” Taehyung said with a dramatic sweep of his hands. “Matcha, earl gray, and chai tea flavors with honey swiss meringue buttercream.”

Jungkook’s brow raised before he could stop it. Taehyung just shrugged.

“They’re flavors I like, so even if the judges hate it, at least I can take it home and eat the whole thing,” he said with an endearing smirk and waggle of his brow.

Taehyung was really something else.

As he headed back to his station, Jungkook watched Taehyung with concern. He hoped Taehyung’s experimentation with flavors wouldn’t get him eliminated. For some reason, he hoped Taehyung would be around for a while.

Jungkook got his cakes out of the oven, cooled, and assembled with buttercream, glancing at the clock; if he worked quickly, he would have just enough time to make all of the decorative flowers he envisioned. He rolled out his fondant, cutting and shaping it into roses and daisies and violets, hand-painting them shades of blues, purples, and yellows. He let them dry, then carefully adhered them to his cake.

At the station across from him, Taehyung was quite literally painting his cake, using a brush to swipe vibrant shades of green onto his buttercream. Jungkook had to admit, it was a stunning effect. There was a makeshift flower crown sitting to the side, which he assumed Taehyung would place on top of the finished cake.

But with ten minutes remaining, Jungkook looked to his own cake and felt his stomach drop to the floor.

His cake was… _leaning_.

“No, no, no,” he muttered, trying to keep the tiers propped upright while his brain fought against the impending panic. This had never happened in his practice rounds at home! What could have—

He saw the wooden dowels on his counter and suddenly wanted to cry.

He had forgotten to insert the rods through his cake. Without them, his tiers lacked crucial structural support and had begun to collapse under their collective weight. A stupid, rookie mistake. Jungkook bit his lip, afraid to let go of his cake lest the tiers fall and smash into oblivion on his benchtop.

“You okay over there?” he heard Taehyung ask.

Jungkook didn’t respond. He was lowkey panicking, his brain short-circuiting as it tried to think of a way to salvage his cake without it collapsing in the process. After a moment, Taehyung appeared next to him. Jungkook looked at him wildly; the round was almost over! Why was Taehyung at _his_ station instead of finishing his own cake?

“What can I do to help?” Taehyung asked seriously.

Jungkook looked over Taehyung’s shoulder and saw a caked that was only half-painted, the flower crown still sitting on the benchtop.

Jungkook whimpered. “My cake, it’s falling, I forgot the rods, but—”

“Here, I’ll hold it steady while you lift,” Taehyung said, quickly washing the green dye from his fingers and handing Jungkook a round cake lifter before bracing his hands on the top two layers of Jungkook’s cake, carefully avoiding the delicate fondant flowers.

“Ready? Lift.”

Taehyung’s tone left no room for argument, so after taking a deep breath, Jungkook slipped the paddle under the top two tiers, lifting them, and with his other hand inserted the wooden dowels into the bottom tier of cake.

“Good, now the second layer,” Taehyung said calmly. They repeated the process, and when all three layers of cake were secured back in place, the construction was noticeably sturdier. It still favored one side, but it was stable, no longer at the mercy of gravity.

Jungkook sighed in relief. Taehyung grinned, giving him a sticky high-five, and Jungkook allowed himself a tiny smile in return. But then he glanced at the clock.

“Taehyung, y-your cake!”

“Oh, right!” Taehyung gasped, rushing back to his station, only having time to add a few more strokes of color and haphazardly throw the flower arrangement on top before time ran out.

Looking at his own finished cake, Jungkook felt a bit guilty. When his name was called and he brought his showstopper up to the judges, they _oohed_ and _aahhed_ over his fondant flowers and said his cake was rich, delicious, and well-flavored. He glowed inside, feeling validated and proud of a challenge well done.

But then the judges moved on to Taehyung’s cake. Jungkook felt his stomach churn as the judges eyed the cake with obvious disappointment.

“It looks rather unfinished,” one of them said.

“It’s… a bit of a mess,” the other added with a raised eyebrow.

Taehyung shrugged lightly. “I was a bit over-ambitious, I suppose. I ran short on time.”

The judges tasted his cake, and Jungkook could see the pleased surprise in their expressions.

“These flavors are simply exquisite,” the judges gushed. “It’s just a shame the decoration wasn’t finished.”

The round ended, and there was a small break while the judges discussed the contestants in private. Jungkook stared down at his benchtop, feeling a sense of victory mixed with undeniable shame. Taehyung had had no obligation to help him. This was a _competition_ , winner takes all, every person for themselves. And yet Taehyung had helped him not once, but twice, putting his own success in the competition at risk. It left Jungkook conflicted.

The judges returned. Jungkook, to his own immense surprise, was crowned the week’s Star Baker. He blushed and ducked his head as the other contestants clapped, catching a glimpse of Taehyung’s sunny smile and feeling his heart give an extra thump in response.

He felt an immense swoop of relief when the judges announced that Taehyung was safe from elimination.

He participated in the obligatory round of hugs and companionable chatter, then headed back to his station to quietly pack away his things. He was exhausted from the long day of baking, the competitive adrenaline leaving him drained. He just wanted to go home and call his brother Seokjin, who would undoubtedly scream with excitement at Jungkook earning Star Baker and demand credit for letting Jungkook use his shortcake recipe.

As he prepared to leave the tent, Taehyung approached his station once more, this time carrying a Tupperware container full of cake slices.

“Great job today!” he said, patting Jungkook on the back. “I’ve got some extra cake. You wanna take it home?”

“Extra?” Jungkook asked in confusion. His own cake was neatly packed away; he planned on eating it for breakfast for the next few days, maybe sharing a few slices with his roommates Jimin and Hoseok.

That’s when he noticed that every member of the camera crew was eating a slice of Taehyung’s cakes. His station was still a mess, ingredients everywhere, buttercream smeared in the strangest places, but he handed Jungkook the container insistently.

“Please, take some. I hope it can fuel you as you prepare for next week. Enjoy and take a breather, okay?”

Jungkook stared at Taehyung for a moment, then hesitantly took the Tupperware. “O-okay. Thanks.”

Taehyung nodded, his curls flopping into his eyes, and turned to head back to his station. “See you next week!”

“Wait!” Jungkook called. He set the Tupperware on his clean benchtop as Taehyung turned back around, brow raised in question. “Your station. Let me help you clean. It’s the least I can do.”

Taehyung shook his head, opening his mouth as if to refuse. But after a close look at Jungkook’s expression, he closed it with a small, knowing smile.

“Well, come on over then. The more the merrier!” He looped an arm through Jungkook’s and pulled him over to his station. “I’m a bit of a slob when I’m baking. An artist’s curse, or so my mother says,” Taehyung chattered. He hummed while they cleaned, the sound warm and soulful, like spiced carrot cake or a rich caramel mocha. Jungkook’s peripherals were filled with flashes of honeyed skin and delicate wrists and the rainbow of colors on Taehyung’s shirt.

When they finished, Taehyung sat the beret back on his head despite the floury residue still clinging to his curls. And, despite all odds, there was still a charming dash of lemon curd on his cheek.

“It was an absolute pleasure meeting you, Jeon Jungkook,” he said, shaking Jungkook’s hand in farewell. “I very much look forward to seeing you again next week.”

And with a flirty wink and a wave of his hand, Taehyung strolled away, leaving Jungkook with rosy cheeks and a heart as soft as butter.

┈┈┈┈┈┈ · ꕥ · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ 

The competition continued in a similar fashion. Jungkook showed up each weekend with detailed recipes full of consistent, classic flavors; Taehyung’s choices continued to simultaneously impress and horrify the judges, quickly earning him a reputation for shattering all expectations; and whenever Jungkook found the competition getting to his head, Taehyung was always there with a warm smile and a helping hand.

And every time, Jungkook’s heart fluttered a bit more, his stomach swooping in a new, exciting kind of way.

It became A Thing. The show’s director loved them, and as the weeks progressed, the camera crew focused more and more on the blossoming dynamic between Taehyung and Jungkook. They got more combined screen time than any of the other contestants, and when Jungkook watched the episodes from home each week, it was embarrassing to see how red his ears turned and how brightly his eyes sparkled every time Taehyung so much as breathed in his direction, how the cameras caught him blatantly staring at Taehyung in increasingly frequent moments of weakness.

The internet fondly deemed them the Bake-Off Boyfriends. They had trended on Twitter a few times, to Jungkook’s extreme embarrassment and Seokjin’s utter delight.

Every week, Taehyung showed up with his patterned shirts and disheveled curls and sunshine smile, and Jungkook quietly wished he could see Taehyung more often. More than just once a week at a baking competition.

The weeks progressed, and somehow, they both made it into the quarter-finals. The semi-finals.

And then, the Finals.

┈┈┈┈┈┈ · ꕥ · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ 

Jungkook arrived at the tent for the last time, quivering with excitement. The Finals. He had made it to The Finals!

He knew Seokjin, Hoseok, and Jimin were out on the field near the tent, anxiously waiting with the other friends and parents and families. Jungkook couldn’t wait to rush out into their arms and show them his final bakes, to proudly display his hard work, recipes they had watched him practice and perfect until past midnight more than once. They knew how hard Jungkook had worked for this moment.

But Jungkook’s excitement felt distinctly bittersweet.

Taehyung had taken his place at the station next to his, wearing dark green palazzo pants and a cream-colored shirt that Jungkook knew would be covered in stains by the end of the day.

This was the last time he would be competing alongside Taehyung. Though at some point, Jungkook had ceased to think of him as a competitor. More like… a friend. Someone Jungkook looked forward to seeing. Someone who made Jungkook want to be a better person, who his heart sometimes longed for late at night as he stared at his ceiling with recipes swirling in his brain.

But now, they were the last two contestants standing. Competitors. All or nothing. Every person for themselves.

“Good luck, Kook,” Taehyung said before the cameras started rolling. He shook Jungkook’s hand, just like he had all those weeks ago on the very first day. “I hope you win.”

“I hope _you_ win,” Jungkook fired back with a defiant grin.

Taehyung winked. “Nice try, but I can see right through you, you competitive little cupcake,” he said, booping Jungkook’s nose. “But may the best baker win.”

Time seemed to rush, the clock ticking down quicker than usual. They sped through the signature challenge, creating miniature sweet and savory pies. The technical challenge passed in a blur as they made macarons. And finally, the showstopper challenge was upon them, the tension and excitement in the air nearly tangible.

For once, they didn’t interact much during the round. They were focused and concentrated on their task: painstakingly constructing a five-foot tall sculpture out of cake. Jungkook had chosen to build a castle, knowing the square base and uniformity would provide enough structure to support the cake’s weight, and the height requirement would be easily fulfilled by adding a tall fairytale spire. Taehyung had chosen to construct a scale model of the Eiffel Tower.

An hour passed, then two, then three. Jungkook finally added the last layer to his cake structure and began applying a crumb coat of buttercream. The final steps were fondant, decorations, and last-minute details. He felt great; he knew the tartness of his raspberry jam filling perfectly complimented the richness of his chocolate buttercream and the sweetness of his hazelnut cake. He was on track, he was on time, and with any luck, he’d be able to pull off his best bake yet.

But then, he heard a whimper from Taehyung’s station.

Taehyung’s Eiffel Tower cake was crumbling. The base was too delicate, his structure too intricate and detailed to hold up beneath the fondant he was attempting to carefully drape over top.

Jungkook rushed over immediately, catching the top of the tower just as it began to fall.

Taehyung’s head whipped around, eyes widening. “Kook, what are you—”

“Your fondant is too heavy, and the cake at the base needs to be thicker. I’ll help you reinforce it.”

Taehyung gaped at him, lower lip trembling the slightest bit. “But your cake isn’t finished—”

“I couldn’t care less,” Jungkook said, already salvaging the fondant and beginning to re-roll it. “You’ve helped me countless times. I wouldn’t even be in the final if it wasn’t for you. So, let me help you, okay?”

Taehyung blinked at him for a moment, seemingly dazed. But then he straightened his shoulders, eyes brimming with sparkles. “Okay.”

They worked side-by-side, re-structuring Taehyung’s cake as the clock ticked down and Jungkook’s own cake sat uncompleted on his benchtop. Part of him wondered why he felt so inexplicably calm, why the feeling of hard-earned victory slipping from his grasp wasn’t filling him with desperate panic. But then he glanced at Taehyung beside him, whose brow was furrowed with determination and who had streak of caramel sauce on his nose, and he was reminded that some things were more important than a competition.

Some people were worth losing for.

Jungkook stayed with Taehyung until his cake was standing tall and proud, every inch covered in fondant and intricately-piped designs and tasteful hints of edible glitter. They both took a step back, admiring it. But then Taehyung’s hands shoved at him frantically.

“Go, go, there’s only fifteen minutes left! Finish your cake!”

Jungkook blinked back to reality, and in the heat of the moment with adrenaline coursing through his veins and sugar in the air, he leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss to Taehyung’s cheek before running to his station.

He didn’t look back. In all honesty, he was a little afraid of Taehyung’s reaction. But this was The Final, and Jeon Jungkook was many things, but a coward was not one of them. Even if he waited until the final buzzer, he never missed a chance to shoot his shot.

But, more importantly: he had a cake to finish!

His hands had never decorated faster, and when time ran out, his cake had a messy covering of fondant and minimal details, nothing close to the vision in his head. But he smiled nonetheless, because Taehyung’s cake was a masterpiece. And he knew it would taste even more incredible than it looked.

The host signaled a five-minute break before the judging would begin, and Jungkook quickly washed his hands and chugged half of a water bottle, chest brimming with satisfaction as he looked at Taehyung’s cake.

Taehyung took his apron off and laid it on his benchtop, then strode towards Jungkook, cheeks spotted pink, eyes flashing. Jungkook beamed.

“It looks amazing, Tae, I bet you’ll— _oomph_!”

Taehyung cut him off by cupping his cheeks and kissing him full on the mouth.

Jungkook’s skin buzzed, his veins turning to the sweetest caramel; Taehyung tasted like coffee and buttercream and weeks of yearning, exquisite and decadent on his tongue. Distantly, Jungkook heard someone from the camera crew cheer, but he was too focused on Taehyung’s lips to care, too intent on gripping Taehyung’s waist and pulling him closer. He was definitely getting jam on Taehyung’s shirt, but neither of them cared.

When Taehyung pulled back, his lips were glistening like cherries, stretched around the brightest, most breathtaking grin.

“If I win, I’m using the prize money to take you to Paris for the most lavish, romantic date imaginable. We’re going to eat baguettes and sip fine wine and make out under the Eiffel Tower. Sound good?”

“Yeah,” Jungkook said breathlessly, skin buzzing, heart beating ferociously. He smiled so hard his cheeks hurt. “That sounds good.”

┈┈┈┈┈┈ · ꕥ · ┈┈┈┈┈┈ 

As expected, Seokjin, Hoseok, and Jimin tackled Jungkook in an enormous hug the moment he stepped into the meadow, barely giving him time to set down his cake before squeezing him in their arms and screaming words of encouragement. From his peripheral, he saw Taehyung walk up to a tall man with giant dimples and a smaller guy with tired eyes but a sweet gummy smile, the two of them patting Tae’s shoulders and holding his hands in quiet shows of support.

Soon, the previous contestants were coming up to give their congratulations, shaking Jungkook’s hand, sampling his cake and showering him in compliments. Jungkook basked in their praise, but for once, he didn’t really care about the validation. He met Taehyung’s gaze from across the field, sparkling and full of promise, and in that moment, there was only one thing – one _person_ – he cared about.

When the judges called everyone to attention, Jungkook took his place next to Taehyung. His castle looked like child’s play compared to Taehyung’s tower, but the sight made his chest burst with warmth.

Because he knew that whoever won, it would be a victory for both of them.

As they waited for the verdict, Taehyung slipped his hand into Jungkook’s, giving his fingers a squeeze. Jungkook looked at him and gently wiped the smudge of caramel from his nose, grinning as he licked his thumb clean and Taehyung’s cheeks flushed a gorgeous, dainty pink.

The host cleared their throat.

“And the winner is…!”

**Author's Note:**

> In the irl GBBO there are 3 contestants in the final, but for this fic's purposes there were just two. And I won't tell you who won, bc either way they still went to Paris and made out beneath the Eiffel Tower and took moonlit strolls and fed each other fancy french pastries :')
> 
> Remember to always be kind to each other ♡  
> Baked goods and a well-placed smile can change the world ♡♡♡
> 
> Thanks for reading!! 
> 
> [Twitter ♡](https://twitter.com/lucdream247)
> 
> [moodboard :)](https://twitter.com/lucdream247/status/1321663128657035266?s=20)


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